Apparatus for handling work



March 1955 w. H. LOVELACE APPARATUS FOR HANDLING WORK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 8, 1952 WI H. .LoueLace INVENTOR ATTORNEYS March 13, 1956 w. H. LOVELACE 2,737,709

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING WORK Filed Dec. 8, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W H. .L'oue lace INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,737,709 APPARATUS FOR HANDLING WORK William H. Lovelace, Middletown, Ohio Application December 8, 1952, Serial No. 324,643 2 Claims. (Cl. 29-4290) This invention relates to apparatus for handling work and more particularly to a device for raising and lowering radiators of the type employed in the automotive field.

The primary object of this invention is to support a radiator in a position to be Worked upon and yet enable the radiator to be lowered into a testing tank by which it may be tested for leaks.

Another object is to facilitate the lifting of the radiator from the floor adjacent a testing tank to a position above the testing tank and then enable the radiator to be lowered into the testing tank for testing purposes.

Still other features include means for clamping the radiator on the work handling device in order to avoid danger of dropping the radiator during the various operations.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a vertically extending column mounted to rotate about its axis, a carriage mounted on the column to move vertically thereon, an elongated externally screw threaded shaft carried by the column for rotation about its own axis, said shaft mounted in spaced parallel relation to the column, a nut fixed to the carriage and threadedly engaging the threads on the shaft, work supporting means mounted on the carriage and extending laterally therefrom and means carried by the column and operatively connected with the shaft for rotating the shaft on its own axis and raising or lowering the carriage according to the direction of rotation of the shaft.

Other features include a clamp carried by the work supporting means for clamping a radiator thereon and a water tank mounted adjacent the column into which the radiator may be submerged for the purpose of detecting leaks there'in.

Still other features include a reversible electric motor carried by the column and movable therewith and operatively connected with the shaft for rotating the shaft and raising or lowering the carriage and the work carried thereby.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of my work handling apparatus embodying the features of this invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device illustrated in Fig. 1, a

Fig. 3 is a plan view in section along the line 33 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged bottom the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail a bearing plate is secured to the floor of the building structure in axial alignment with a similar bearing plate 12 carried by the ceiling of the building structure. Mounted to rotate about its longitudinal axis in the bearing plates 10 and 12 is a column 14. Carried by the column 14 adjacent its opposite ends are laterally extending supporting arms 16 and 18 which are fixed to the columnto rotate therewith and project laterally therefrom as will be readily understood upon reference to the drawings. The lowermost plan view in section along arm 18 is provided with a bearing sleeve 20 while the uppermost arm 16 is bifurcated as at 22 to receive the thrust bearing 24 which aligns axially with the bearing sleeve 22. Mounted in the thrust bearing 24 and extending parallel to the column 14 is an externally threaded shaft 26 which carries adjacent its upper end a driven sprocket 28, for rotating the shaft when the sprocket is rotated. Mounted on the arm 16 on the side of the column 14 remote from the thrust bearing 24 is a reversible drive motor 30 to which is operatively connected a drive sprocket 32 and trained over the drive sprocket 32 and the driven sprocket 28 is a drive chain 34. It will thus be seen that when the motor 30 is energized the shaft 26 will be rotated and inasmuch as the motor 30 is reversible, it is obvious that the direction of rotation of the shaft 26 may be controlled. Power is supplied to the reversible motor 30 through a conventional outlet 36 and connected to the motor and outlet 36 is a BX reversing switch 38 through the medium of a conventional cable 40.

Mounted for vertical sliding movement on the column 14 is a carriage designated generally 42 which comprises an elongated sleeve 44 carrying intermediate its ends a laterally extending arm 46. This arm is provided adjacent its end remote from the sleeve 44 with a clamp collar 48 for receiving and clampically engaging a leg 50 which extends parallel to the shaft 26 in spaced relation thereto. Carried adjacent the lower end of the leg 50 is a laterally extending supporting arm 52 carrying a work table 54 and a C-clamp 56 having a clamp jaw 58 which aligns axially with the work table 54 in order to cooperate therewith in clamping work thereon. Carried by the arm 46 between the clamp collar 48 and the sleeve 44 is a threaded nut 60 which engages the threads of the shaft 26 so that as the shaft is rotated, the carriage 42 will be moved longitudinally along the column 14 in accordance with the direction of rotation of the shaft. A suitable tank 62 is mounted adjacent the column 14 so that a radiator or other work supported on the table 54 may be submerged in the tank, in testing for leaks.

In use when an article such as a heavy automotive radiator is to be worked on, the column 14 is rotated about its vertical axis to move the table 54 and clamp 58 clear of the tank 62 whereupon the supporting arm 52 is lowered by rotating the motor 30 to move the carriage downwardly until the arm 52 rests on or adjacent the floor. The radiator is then placed on the table 54 and clamped thereon by the clamp 58 with a minimum of exertion on the part of the workman. Upon operating the switch 38 to cause the motor 30 to rotate the shaft 26 in a direction to elevate the carriage 42, it will be obvious that the work may be moved to a desired height and upon swinging the column 14 about its vertical axis, the work may be moved into a position above the tank 62 and lowered thereinto to be submerged in water therein. This will enable the radiator to be tested for leaks, and upon elevating the carriage 42, it is obvious that the work can be supported at a level suitable for operating thereon. Obviously if so desired the work may be transferred to or from the table 54 directly from a hand truck or the like, and since the table 54 and work may be swung about the vertical axis of the column 14 it is evident that it not only may be elevated to a suitable height, but moved to various positions about the axis of the column according to the desires of the user.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

3 What is claimed is: 1. Apparatus for handling an object comprising an elongated vertically extending column mounted at the ends thereof to rotate about its axis, a carriage mounted on the column to move vertically thereon, arms fixed on the column for rotative movement therewith about the axis of said column, said arms extending laterally from the column, an elongated externally screw threaded shaft rotatably mounted in the arms, a nut fixed on the carriage and threadedly engaging the shaft for moving the carriage lengthwise of said column by rotation of the shaft, a laterally rotatable work supporting clamping means carried by the carriage and extending laterally therefrom, and a reversible motor carried by one of the arms and operatively connected to the shaft for rotating said shaft and raising or lowering the carriage.

2. Apparatus for handling an object comprising an elongated vertically extending column rotatably mounted at the ends thereof to rotate about its axis, a carriage mounted on the column to move vertically thereon, arms fixed on the column for movement therewith about the longitudinal axis of said column, said arms extending laterally from the column, an elongated externally screw threaded shaft rotatably mounted in the armsya nut fixed to the carriage and threadedly engaging the shaft for moving the carriage lengthwise of said column by rotation of the shaft, laterally rotatable work supporting clamping means carried by the carriage and extending laterally therefrom, a reversible motor carried by one of the arms and operatively connected to the shaft for rotating said shaft and raising or lowering the carriage, and a reversing switch electrically connected to the motor for governing the direction of rotation of the shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,101,598 Weinke June 30, 1914 2,187,283 Scheutz Jan. 16, 1940 2,483,109 Smith Sept. 27, 1949 2,576,660 Williams Nov. 21, 1951 2,663,929 Carpenter Dec. 29, 1953 

